We’re halfway through the month of July. I hope it’s been a great one so far! How did everyone do on last week’s Wellness Wednesday challenge? We loved seeing the pics a few of you shared on your walks throughout the week.
Here’s one from our Community Coordinator, Courtney. She took a 2-mile hike in Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park in Austin.
(Psst! We’ll feature your photos too if you participate in our challenges! Just tag your Instagram or Twitter photos with #wellnessMB. Or you can tag us on FB with your #WellnessMB photos.)
This Week’s Thoughts
As you might imagine, my life has been full of upheaval these past few weeks. Darlington is already a month old, and even though everyone warns you beforehand, it blows my mind how much my life has already changed.
In such a short amount of time and being totally devoted to this tiny, little being, I’ve learned so much more about myself than I ever have before. Maybe it’s the two-hour feeding schedule, but I have a newfound respect for time—no longer wasted—10-12 hours are devoted to breastfeeding. Then, I have 10-12 hours left to eat, sleep, wash dishes, cook, workout, shower, work on Model Behaviors, correspond with family and friends, be a wife, be a mother, and carve out some self-care. I’ll be sharing more about how I’m navigating this new terrain in my new Motherhood Series and in the next journal chapter on birth, which will be coming later this month.
Hannah’s selected quote this week couldn’t come at a better time. The first part is quite famous, but it’s the last part that really catches my attention. That phrase—“we harden”—is what hooks me. These life-changing chapters remind me of the delicate balance in life.
And it reminds me of the inspiration behind Model Behaviors, to celebrate the infinite complexities and interests of women. We want to lift up the voices and experiences of women who have all kinds of projects going on and who are driven to accomplish great things on a regular basis. However, even with all of this drive and passion, it’s easy to get stuck in a rut without realizing it. When we challenge ourselves to take on new roles and new responsibilities, despite doubt and misgivings, we shift, grow, and transcend our younger, less wise selves. We become more attuned to others. We develop a deeper empathy. We lose a bit of our hardness.
I find this to be especially true with my new role as a mother. I am so changed, and I hope I continue to change with each new day I get to spend with Darlington.
This Week’s Challenge
Do something outside of the norm. This can be anything from testing a new recipe to trying a new hairstyle to visiting a coffee shop you’ve never gone to before. You could wake up thirty minutes earlier each day to do a Yoga video on YouTube (may I suggest this channel if you are new to yoga and this one if you are more advanced). Or you could go on a picnic by yourself with a book you’ve been meaning to read. It’s up to you! But the goal is to shake up your routine. To “change, renew, rejuvenate,” as the quote says.
Take pictures and tag them with #MBwellnesswed then let us know how you’re changing and rejuvenating your routine. What new roles are you taking on? What new paths are you attempting to traverse? Definitely share with us because we’d love to feature you!
PS: Don’t forget that we want to hear from YOU! Sign up for our mailing list and share your thoughts or a favorite quote about “rebirth.” We’ll randomly select a submission at the end of the month and feature it for the last Wellness Wednesday right here on MB!
Artwork: “Sweet Solitude” by Edmund Blair Leighton
